Two new Supreme Court judges to take oath on Monday

NEW DELHI: Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Aravind Kumar will take oath as Supreme Court judges on February 13.

According to a circular issued by the administration branch of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will administer the oath to Justices Rajesh Bindal and Aravind Kumar at 10.30 am on Monday.

On Friday, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter and announced fresh appointments to the top court. Justice Bindal was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and Justice Kumar served as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court.

After the oath ceremony, the strength of the top court will achieve its full strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, after a gap of nine months.

The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended their names to the Centre for elevation on January 31.

Justice Bindal, born on April 16, 1961, was to demit office in April this year on attaining the age of 62 years, however, because of his elevation to the Supreme Court, he now has three more years in service.

High court judges retire at 62 years, while Supreme Court judges retire at 65. Justice Kumar was born on July 14, 1962, and would turn 61 in July 2023. Earlier this week, five judges took oath as Supreme Court judges after their elevation.